17alpha-(2-alkenyl)estra-1, 3, 5(10)-triene-3, 17beta-diols and esters thereof



United States Patent 3,197,257 17oc-(2-ALKENYL)ESTRA-1,3,5(l0)-NEE-3,175- DIOLS AND ESTERS TIEREOF Raymond E. Connsell, Skokie, 111., assignor to G. 1). Scale 8; (3a., Chicago, 111., a corporation 0t Delaware No Drawing. Filed Mar. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 181,184 7 Claims. (Cl. 269-3975) This invention is concerned with novel steroidal compounds characterized by an unsaturated hydrocarbon radical substituted at the 17-position and, more particularly, with 17a-(2-alkenyl) estra-1,3,5 -triene-3,17[3-diols and esters thereof. These substances can be represented by the structural formula wherein X and Y can be hydrogen or a lower alkanoyl radical and R is a lower Z-alkenyl radical.

Examples of lower alkanoyl radicals represented by X and Y are formyl, acetyl, propionyl, butyryl, valeryl, caproyl, and the branched-chain isomers thereof, while the lower Z-alhenyl radicals symbolized by the R term are, typically, allyl, Z-butenyl, Z-pentenyl, 2-hexenyl, and the branched-chain radicals isomeric therewith.

The compounds of this invention can be manufactured by utilization of 3-hydroxyestral,3,5(l0)-trien-17-one as the starting material. This substance is allowed to react with an alkenyl organometallic reagent in an organic solvent medium, and the resulting adduct is hydrolyzed, preferably in an aqueous acidic mixture, to afford the desired products. As a specific example of the processes involved, the aforementioned starting material, 3-hydroxyestra- 1,3,5(l0)-trien-l7-one, is contacted with allyl magnesium chloride in a tetrahydrofuran-ether solvent medium, and the resulting addition product is hydrolyzed with aqueous ammonium chloride, resulting in l7a-allylestra-l,3,5 (10)- triene-3,l7,8-diol. In place of the alkenyl magnesium halides, other organometallic reagents, such as alkenyl lithium compounds, can be substituted.

Esterification of the aforementioned 3,17fi diols with a lower alkanoic acid anhydride and pyridine afiords the corresponding 3-monoesters. Typically, the instant 17a- (2-methallyl)estra-1,3,5(l0)-triene-3,l7fi-diol is allowed to react with acetic anhydride and pyridine to yield 170:- (Z-methallyl) estra-l,3,5 (10)-triene-3,17B-diol 3-monoacetate.

The 3,17-diesters of the present invention are produced, however, more conveniently by contacting the aforementioned 3,17t3-diols with the appropriate isopropenyl ester in the presence of an acidic catalyst. For example, 170callylestra-l,3,5(1G)-triene-3,l7fi-diol, when heated with isopropenyl acetate in the presence of p-toluene-sulfonic acid, affords 17a-allylestra-1,3.5(10)-triene-3,17,8 diol 3,l7-diacetate.

The compounds of this invention display valuable pharmacological properties. They are hormonal agents, for example, in view of their progestational properties. Those properties are evidenced by the ability of these compounds to induce progestational proliferation of the uterine epithelium and by their ability to produce decidual changes in the uterine endometrium.

The invention will appear more fully from the examples which follow. These examples are given by way of illustration only, and it will be understood that the invention is not to be construed as limited in spirit or in scope by the details contained therein, as many modifications in mate rials and methods will be apparent from this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In these examples, temperatures are given in degrees Centigrade C.), and quantities of materials in parts by weight unless otherwise noted.

Example 1 To .a slurry of 50 parts of magnesium in 133 parts of tetrahydrofuran is added dropwise with stirring, a solution of 23.5 parts of allyl chloride in 89 parts of tetrahydrofuran. A solution of 27 parts of 3-hydroxyestra-l,3, 5(10)-trien-17-one in 666 parts of tetrahydroiuran containing an additional 126.9 parts of allyl chloride is then added over .a period of about 3 hours to the spontaneously refluxing mixture. Refluxin-g is continued for about 2 hours longer, after which time the reaction mixture is cooled, and a solution of 125 parts of ammonium chloride in 500 parts of water is added with stirring. The two layers are separated and the aqueous phase is extnacted with ether. This extract is combined with the original organic layer, then is washed with water, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and stripped of solvent at reduced pressure. Crystallization of the oily residue from ethyl acetate affords l7u-allylestra-l,3,5(10)-triene-3,l7fidiol solvated with 0.25 molecular equivalent of ethyl acetate, M.P. about -112"; [u] =-|154. 'It is represented by the structural formula IOH2OH=CH l Example 2 A mixture of 2.5 parts of 17a-allylestra-1,3,5(10) triene-3,17B-diol, 2.5 parts of acetic anhydride, and 15 parts of pyridine is stored at room temperature for about 4 hours, then is poured slowly into a mixture of ice and Water. The gum which separates is isolated by decantation, then is triturated with an ice-water mixture to afiord the crystalline product, which is collected by filtration, washed with water, and recrystallized from aqueous acetone, producing needle-Elie crystals of 17a-allylestra-1,3, 5(10)-triene-3,l7B-diol 3-monoacetate, M.P. about 126- 128; [cc]-, =+53. Ultraviolet maxima are observed at 268 and 275 millimicrons with molecular extinction coefiicients of 730 and 725, respectively. This substance is further characterized by the structural formula CHaCOO Example 3 To a slurry of 7.3 parts of magnesium in 70 parts of anhydrous ether, under nitrogen, is added a solution of 7.4 parts of 3-chloro-2-methyl-l-propene in 35 parts of anhydrous ether. A solution of 13.5 parts of 3-hydroxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-one and 10 parts of 3-chloro-2-methyl-lpropene in 355 parts of tetrahydrofuran is then added dropwise with stirring at such a rate that reflux is maintained. Refluxing is continued for about 2 hours longer, and the reaction mixture is cooled, then treated with excess aqueous ammonium chloride. The resulting mixture is filtered, and the filter cake is washed with tetrahydrofuran. The organic solids are removed by distillation under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue is dissolved in benzene. That solution is chromatographed on a silica gel column, and the column is eluted with benzene, then with benzene containing increasing proportions of ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate in benzene eluate is evaporated to dryness, and the resulting residue is recrystallized from aqueous methanol to produce 17a-(2-methal1yl)estra-1,3,5(10)-triene- 3,17 3-diol, M.P. about 164-16 5. It is further characterized by an ultraviolet maximum at about 280.5 millimierons with a molecular extinction coetficient of about 2300, and is represented by the structural formula OH (3113 p j -oHio=oHz Example 4 The reaction of 2.6 parts of l7u-(2-methallyl)estra- 1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17B-diol with 2.5 parts of acetic anhydride and parts of pyridine by the procedure of Example 2 results in l7a-(2-methallyl)estra-1,3,5(10)-triene 3,175 diol 3-monoacetate. Recrystallization from acetone-heptane affords platelets of the pure material, melting at about 120121. Ultraviolet maxima are observed at about 268 and 275 millimicrons with molecular extinction coefiicients of about 785 and 748, respectively. This substance is represented by the structural formula OH (333 :L"'CHZC=CHZ CHsCOO Example 5 The reaction of 2.5 parts of 17a-allylestra-l,3,5(10)= triene-3,17 3-diol or 2.6 parts of 17a-(2-methal1y1)estra- 1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17;3-diol with 2.25 parts of propionic anhydride and 15 parts of pyridine by the procedure described in Example 2 results in 17a-ally1estra-1,3,5,(10)- triene-3,17;3-diol 3-propionate and 17a-(2-methallyl)- estra-1,3,5 (10) -triene 3,17fl diol 3-propionate, respectively.

Example 6 A mixture of one part of 17a-allylestra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17,8-diol, 20 parts of isopropenyl acetate, and 0.15 part of p-toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate is heated gently for aproximately 7 hours, allowing the acetone formed to distil. After cooling, ether is added to this reaction mixture, and the organic solution is washed successively with water, aqueous sodium bicarbonate, and

water, then dried over anhydrous potassium carbonate containing carbon for decolorization. The resulting solution is stripped of solvent at reduced pressure to yield 17a-allyestra-1,3,5 10) -triene-3, 17 3-diol 3,17-diacetate of the structural formula OCOOH:

Example 7 The substitution of 1.04 parts of 17a-(2-methallyl)- estra-l,3,5(10)-triene'-3,17fi-diol in the procedure of Example 6 attords 17a-(2-methallyl)estra-1,3,5(10)-triene- 3,l7,8-diol 3,17-diacetate of the structural formula OOOCH:

Example 8 Example 9 To a solution of one part of 17aallylestra-1,3,5(l0)- triene-3,17fi-diol 3,17-diacetate in 18 parts of methanol containing 2 parts of Water is added 0.5 part of potassium carbonate, and the resulting mixture, is stirred at room temperateure for about 3 hours, then is poured slowly into a mixture of ice and water. This aqueous mixture is extracted with ether to afford an organic solution, which is dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and stripped of solvent at reduced pressure. The residue is recrystallized from aqueous ethanol to afiord 17a'-a.llylestra-1,3,5 l0) -triene-3,l718-diol 17-monoacetate.

Example 10 The substitution of 1.1 parts of 17a-(2-methallyl)estra- 1,3,5 10)-triene-3,17[i-diol 3,17-dipropionate in the procedure of Example 9 results in 17a-(2-methal1yD-estra- 1,3,5 (10)-triene'-3,17,B-dio=l 17-propionate.

CHaCOO wherein X and Y are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkanoyl radicals and R is a lower 2-alkeny1 radical.

2. A compound of the struc'iural formula wherein R is a lower 2-alkenyl radical.

J (lower alkyl) C O 6 4. 17a-ally1estra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17B-dio1.

5. 17cc-(2 methallyUestra 1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17fldiol.

7. 17ca-(2 methallynestra 1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17fi- (H01 3-acetate.

References Qited in the file of this patent 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,266,778 Logemann et a1. Dec. 23, 1941 2,666,769 Col'ton Ian. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,107,257 October 15. 1963 Raymond E. Counsell It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected belo* for "methyl-lpropene" read methy1 Column 3, line 7,

for "2.25" read 3.25

1-propene line 62,

Signed and sealed this 14th day of April 1964.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE STRUCTURAL FORMULA 